


dancing in a dark room

by lilacribbon



Category: Keeper of the Lost Cities Series - Shannon Messenger
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cassius Sencen's A+ Parenting, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Oneshot, Post-Canon, Sokeefe - Freeform, let sophie and keefe say fck, ouch unlocked hurt me so here's this, this is literally so long i'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27640003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacribbon/pseuds/lilacribbon
Summary: in which Sophie saves Keefe from his own Winnowing Gala.
Relationships: Sophie Foster/Keefe Sencen
Comments: 13
Kudos: 98





	dancing in a dark room

**Author's Note:**

> hey thanks for reading this! i haven't written for kotlc in about a million years but i wrote this while i was waiting for unlocked to get here, so there's inconsistencies with what's now canon. for context, sophie and keefe are around 17-18ish in this. just a warning, there is some kissing and swearing in this, so click off if you're not comfortable with that; happy reading!

"Please."

"No."

"Foster, pleeeeease. I'm begging you."

"No, Keefe!"

He faked a dramatic sigh over from where he sat at the edge of Sophie's huge canopied bed.

"You wound me, Foster," Keefe warned her, draping his wrist over his forehead. Sophie snorted.

"I do not, you're just dramatic," Sophie said from where she sat at her desk, her rolling chair facing Keefe.

"I promise it wouldn't be that bad. It's just a stupid party," Keefe pleaded with her. "I'm only doing this to make my dad happy anyway. We can just slip in, dodge my adoring fangirls, maybe grab some punch, and slip out. Then I can say I was there."

Sophie shook her head, standing up to pace. "It's not just some stupid party, it's your _Winnowing Gala_. And I'm not matched with anyone, especially you, so I'm not allowed in. I doubt your dad would let me, anyway."

Ro whistled a dark corner of her room, making Sophie jump with a start. _How did she always manage to blend into the background like that?_  
Ro tugged on one of her bluntly cut pink pigtails. "Trust me, I'm the one in charge of security for this affair, so Lord Cassius can't completely control who does or doesn't show up. And I think it'll be... interesting if our girl shows up to Lord Hunkyhair's giant group date, don't you?"

Keefe ignored the question, and instead gave Ro a shooting glare, and mumbled, "It's _not_ a group date."

The thought of Keefe and all one hundred of his matches on a date flashed into her mind. She shook the idea out of her head, trying her best to ignore the pit in her stomach the idea gave her as she scooted next to Keefe on the edge of the bed, facing him so that their knees were almost knocking together.

"It may not be a date, but it _is_ a closed event, Keefe. Come on, why don't you just hang out with Biana? She wouldn't mind, and she's on your list and actually authorized to be there," Sophie reminded him.

Keefe chuckled, leaning in close enough that Sophie was pretty sure she could see each of his individual eyelashes. "I'm pretty sure she's included in the list of my adoring fangirls, Foster. Anyways, I don't want to hang out with Biana, I want to hang out with _you_."

"Smooooth," Ro said from across the room, now fiddling with the sword hung from her waistband.

Sophie decided to ignore whatever _that_ meant, but she couldn't help feeling a shiver up her spine at the absolute sincerity of his words. Looking into his eyes suddenly felt a little too awkward, so she settled for staring at the flowered carpet beneath her feet.

"You know I can't, Keefe. I'm not supposed to be there, and even if I was, don't you think other people would notice? Wouldn't that be uncomfortable for you? There's, like, _implications_ , for this type of thing, isn't there?"

Sophie was sure Keefe could feel her blush at that last word, and when she turned her face towards his, his eyebrows weren't quirked and he wasn't smirking like she thought he'd be. Instead, he looked almost... uncomfortable, and it was very un-Keefe of him.

"Relax, Foster," he said quietly, not making eye contact and instead reaching his stare past her shoulder. "It's not like I'm asking you on a _date_ or anything."

Sophie stared blankly at him for a beat before managing to sputter out, "Oh. I..."

She trailed off, cheeks flushed with embarrassment from how she had _obviously_ misread the situation. She turned her gaze back towards the carpet, mentally kicking herself for her stupidity.

Why would Keefe want to go on a date with her when he had like, a hundred other matches at his disposal? Not like she had wanted to go on a date with him, but still... she couldn't help but admit that she found the idea flattering. And his quick rejection of the idea didn't feel particularly good.

Sophie hadn't realized how long she'd been lost in thought before Ro startled her by breaking the silence and saying, "Damn, you've been quiet for a while there, Miss F! Anything to tell us?"

_Damn her stealthy ogre skills._

Sophie shook her head profusely. "No, sorry, I just got... distracted. What were you saying, Keefe?"

"I was just saying," Keefe said quietly, fidgeting in his seat, "It wouldn't have to be a... date, necessarily."

Oh, right. _That's_ what he was saying.

"I just know that this party is going to suck," Keefe said slowly, like he was trying to pick his words carefully. "In between my asshole of a father and a hundred matches I have no interest in pursuing at the moment, it's not going to be fun for me. And being with you makes things... less sucky."

"You truly have a way with words," Ro informed Keefe. Turning to Sophie, she said, "I'm with our boy on this one. I've been around to watch Cassius plan this party, and it's like he's trying to torture his guests as much as possible. As much as he thinks otherwise, Lord Cassius is not a skilled decorator. Mr. Hunkyhair is going to need backup for this one, and you're the girl for the job."

Sophie turned to Keefe, fully prepared to say no again, but the pleading look in his ice-blue eyes made her voice catch in her throat.

"Come on, Foster," Keefe said, staring at her with a gaze that erupted flutters in her chest. "I'm being serious. It would mean a lot to me if you came, and I need some support for how bad it's going to be. You don't even have to hang around me the whole time. I just... need you there. For support."

Sophie was suddenly very aware of the small distance between them, and the way she could feel his breath on her cheek. She took another look at his pleading eyes, bracing herself as she grumbled out a quiet, "Fine."

"Thank you _so_ much, Foster." Keefe grinned, leaning back on his hands behind him and letting Sophie breathe again. "Seriously."

"You're welcome. But know that I'm only doing this to piss your father off," Sophie told him.

"I'm sure it will," Ro said jubilantly. "And that's why I convinced Lord Hunkyhair to ask you. Among _other_ reasons."

"Shut up," Keefe hissed at her. It took everything in Sophie's power not to ask what Ro meant by that, but just as she worked up the courage to do it, Ro strode over to the bed, grabbing Keefe's arm and dragging him towards the door.

"Let's go, Hunkyhair," Ro said, and Sophie couldn't help but think that the ogre looked much too happy about the new turn of events. When they reached the door, she turned around and said, "Oh, and the bodyguard has one request!"

_There was the catch._ Sophie scowled and braced herself for whatever dare Ro had in mind.

"You should wear red. Keefe over here thinks it brings out your eyes," Ro said, waggling her eyebrows. Sophie gaped at her, mortified at the fact that Keefe could most certainly feel her embarrassment radiating from all the way across the room and was almost definitely about to tease her for it.

But when she finally met his eyes, he only gave her a sheepish shrug and said, "Sorry about Ro, she's... insensitive."

"I'm just being honest."

Keefe scowled at that. "Whatever. I'll... see you at the gala, Foster."

And with that, the boy and the ogre left the room, leaving Sophie alone with her very confused thoughts.

* * *

  
"You actually look... nice."

"Wow, thanks Vertina," Sophie said dryly, but she couldn't help but agree with the spectral mirror. In preparation for the gala, she had brushed on some eyeshadow and lip gloss for once, and with the help of her sentient mirror, she had managed to do her hair half up in an intricate twist. Paired with her flowing red dress, which Edaline had chosen for her from a pile of Jolie's old gowns, Sophie felt a bit like a princess.

"I'm serious," the mirror said. "If you tried more often, you'd look this good all the time."

"No thanks," Sophie replied. "I like how I look right now, but these heels are _not_ becoming an everyday thing. I'm not entirely convinced they'll still be on by the end of the night, which is why I'm bringing these."  
Sophie held up a plain pair of flats to the mirror, which sent Vertina into a look of deep disgust.

"Gross. Those are so bori—"

Sophie ended the attack by walking out of the frame, shutting Vertina off.

_Shoes, dress, hair, makeup_. Was that all she needed? Sophie was more nervous than she would have liked to admit, considering that she'd only promised Keefe she'd stay for a bit, and it wasn't even like she was actually one of his matches. But still, for some reason the thought of all those other random girls vying for Keefe's attention was nerve-wracking, and she didn't want to screw up or embarrass herself. Sighing, she took a step in front of Vertina's mirror again.

"I hate it when you shut me off like that, especially when those shoes _were_ really ugl—"

"Say one more word about my comfy shoes and I'll put you in Edaline's office," Sophie warned her.

"The Place Where Stuff Goes to Die? No thanks," Vertina said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "But all I'm saying is—"

"I said what I said, Vertina. Anyways, do you think I'm missing anything? Is there something special I should be wearing for a Winnowing Gala that I don't know about?" Sophie asked her, feeling more nervous than she ought to feel.

"Oooooh, that's why you're all dressed up!" Vertina said, suddenly looking a lot more enthusiastic. "Who's the lucky boy?"

"He's... not what you think," said Sophie, squirming as she watched her cheeks flush in the mirror. Honestly, she probably shouldn't have put on any blush with all the flushing she did on her own. Her face at the moment resembled a tomato. "I'm not going because I'm matched with him. I'm... unmatchable. Can't exactly get a list when one of your genetic parents is a mystery and you can't reveal who the other one is."

"Oh," Vertina said uncomfortably. For once, the talkative girl didn't look like she had anything to say. "Then... why are you going? Winnowing Galas are supposed to be limited to just matches."

"Moral support," Sophie mumbled, tugging at a mascaraed eyelash. "Keefe —he's the, uh, lucky boy... his dad's kind of forcing him to do this. So I'm keeping him company."

Vertina gave Sophie a knowing look that she didn't particularly like.

"Company," Vertina said incredulously. "Right."

"Yep," Sophie said, not sure why she felt like hiding behind her intricately woven hair. "Anyways, that's not what this is about. Am I missing anything?"

"No. But you're not wearing any jewelry besides your registry pendant," Vertina noted.

"Right, I took it all off when I was getting ready," Sophie said, grabbing her jewelry box from her nightstand, opening it and tipping it onto a side table near the mirror to inspect its contents. She didn't have too much besides her cognate ring, her charm bracelet, Fitz's heart pendant, and the necklace Keefe had made her before he defected to the Neverseen.

Sophie cringed as she held up the last two, not realizing Vertina could still see her.

"That heart pendant is really tacky. Like, really, _really_ tacky."

"Gee, thanks, Vertina. Always lovely to hear your input, but I wasn't going to wear it anyway," Sophie told her. "Fitz gave it to me."

"Fitz?" Vertina asked, furrowing her brow. "Who even is that?"

"My friend. We dated a while back. It... didn't end well," Sophie said, deciding she didn't want to share more of the story with the nosey mirror. "We're friends now, but..."

"Yeah, I would _not_ wear that to another boy's Winnowing Gala," Vertina told her.

"I told you, it's not like me going to this gala means anything," Sophie insisted. "Keefe made that _very_ clear. Anyways, do you think I should wear this other one? Keefe made it for me."

Vertina rolled her eyes. "Oh, sure, this boy invited you to his Winnowing Gala when he didn't have to, _and_ he made you a necklace, but no, it doesn't mean anything."

"It _doesn't_."

"Sure it doesn't."

Sophie rolled her eyes as she unclasped the necklace, but she couldn't help but fixate on Vertina's words. Logically, she knew that Keefe didn't _like_ her like that. He was just naturally... flirty. He did it to everyone.  
He'd even told her that he was extra flirty around Biana just to make it clear that he didn't like her. That was all; there was nothing more.

And still, Sophie couldn't help but think that there had been times where there had been _something_ there. When Keefe would lift back his joking demeanor, and be serious; even sweet. The way he'd look at her made her think that maybe— no. She was very clearly misreading the situation, just like she had when Keefe asked her to come to the Gala.

"You've been staring at that necklace for a very long time," Vertina informed Sophie, making her look up with a jolt.

"I was just... thinking. I'm going to go ask Edaline to help me put this on. Thanks for your help, Vertina, really," Sophie said, turning to leave.

"Wait, before you leave, if we could talk about those shoe—"

Sophie jumped out of the frame. She was _not_ in the mood for a Vertina lecture. She turned to find Grady and Edaline standing in the doorway.

"Edaline, good, I was just about to go find you," Sophie told her. "Can you help me put on this necklace?"

She held up the beaded necklace to them, shifting her feet beneath her.

"I haven't seen that one in a while," Edaline said, taking the necklace to study the intricately painted beads. "Keefe made it for you, right?"

"Yeah," Sophie told her, not sure why she felt kind of embarrassed.

Grady quirked an eyebrow. "Any specific reason you're wearing this one to his Winnowing Gala?"

Sophie stole a glance at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact as she told him, "I mean... it's his party... and I haven't worn it in a while... so I just thought—"

"It's a _beautiful_ necklace," Edaline interrupted her, give Grady a glare that could've shot daggers. "And I'm sure Keefe will be _touched_ that you thought to wear it."

She spun Sophie around to clasp the necklace around her neck, the cool beads bumping her registry pendant.

"You're so... grown," Edaline softly whispered behind her. "We are so, _so_ proud of you."

"Thanks." Sophie wasn't sure why she felt like crying. Maybe it was the way her parents were acting like this was some sort of _big thing_. "But this really isn't a big deal. It's not like I'm actually there to match with anyone. I'm just there to make today a little less painful for Keefe."

Grady gave her a look that made it very clear that he didn't believe her, but he didn't say anything, just pulling her into a hug when Edaline was done with the necklace. Releasing her, Grady told her, "Stay safe. We love you. And if Keefe tries to do _anything_ that makes uncomfortable, I'm giving you full permission to slap him upside the hea—"

"Please don't listen to your father," Edaline told her, shooting another glare at Grady. She followed his lead and pulled Sophie into another hug. Against her shoulder, she muttered, "Better get out of here before Grady gives you another lecture."

It took everything in Sophie's power not to giggle.

* * *

  
Sophie stuffed her home crystal back in her pocket as she stared up at Candleshade, feeling like there were multiple rocks in her stomach. Had the towering building always felt so intimidating? Taking a deep breath, she walked up and knocked on the large front door.

Ro opened it with a grin. "Hey, our special guest is here early!"

Sophie looked at her feet, trying to hide her blush. "I'm not a special gue—"

"Sure you aren't," Ro said sarcastically. "Party's on the 246th floor. I'm sure you're familiar with the Vortinator."

Sophie nodded, trying to hide her nausea. "Unfortunately."

Not wanting to talk with Ro more than she had to, Sophie hurried over to the contraption and grabbed on tight to the railing. As she shot up through the air, she couldn't help but wonder if Lord Cassius had made the ride so unpleasant on purpose. She wouldn't be surprised if he had. The Vortinator creaked to a stop, and she stepped out into a massive reception hall.

_Ro was not kidding when she said Lord Cassius was a bad decorator._

The entire room was decked out in pristine shades of light blue. It wasn't awful, necessarily, but it was just so... crisp. Fake. Un-Keefe. It felt a bit like a giant hospital room.

Throughout the room, there were various forms of chaises and couches that looked like they had never been touched before. In the center of the room was a pristine white dance floor, and next to it, a _giant_ ice sculpture in the shape of a heart. And another in the shape of Keefe. And yet an even larger one shaped as Lord Cassius. _Even for an event celebrating his son, Lord Cassius had managed to make it all about him._

Only a few girls were milling around the ballroom so far, and Keefe was nowhere to be seen.

As she took in the scene, something shot out and grabbed her arm. Before she could even scream, the arm dragged her into an entrance to a smaller room. It had a small window peeking into the main hall, but other than that it was dim, and opened packages of what looked like silverware lined the room, which seemed like it was made for storage. A tall, familiar blonde boy stood in front of her, still grabbing her arm.

Keefe grinned, dropping her forearm. "Sorry Foster, I didn't mean to startle you, but I wanted to get to you before anyone else saw me."

Before responding, Sophie scanned Keefe, who looked... really good. He was wearing a fitted, dark blue jerkin, and Sophie couldn't help but marvel at how _broad_ his shoulders were. Had they always been like that? But then she glanced at his face and let out a massive giggle.

"What's up with your hair?" Sophie asked between wheezes, gesturing at the way his hair was slicked back in a way not unlike Lord Cassius.

"It's not funny, Foster!" Keefe said, but he was holding back a grin too. "Father Dearest told me that I had to look _respectable_ today, which apparently means looking exactly like him. Little does he know, literally nobody respects him."

Sophie giggled again. "It looks... crunchy."

"It is. I don't know how my father can stand to wear it like this. I mean, I wear a lot of hair products, but this is like another level," Keefe said, running his hands over the solid mass on his head.

"How did he even get you to agree to this?" Sophie asked him.

"It was either this, or no Emotional Support Foster," Keefe said, gesturing at her. "And I need emotional support right now much more than I need normal hair."

"You... chose me over your hair?" Sophie asked, biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smiling.

"Of course I did."

The way Keefe was looking at her sent a wave of flutters in her stomach, and Keefe opened his mouth to say something, but the words seemed to morph into something else. "You look _really_ nice, Foster. I know Ro was just trying to freak you out, but... red really is your color."

"Thanks." Sophie looked down to keep Keefe from seeing the flush on her face, but of course, he could probably feel what she was feeling anyway. She braced herself for a wave of teasing, but when she looked up, Keefe still had that sincere, intense look in his eyes that made her heart feel like it was pounding out of her chest.

Suddenly, she felt like she really needed to break the silence. "Soooo, when have you ever listened to your father before? You should redo your hair if you want to. I'm already here, so it's not like he could kick me out. I have enough powers to knock him out if he tried."

"That is true, Foster," Keefe said, his familiar smirking look returning to his face. "And I _would_ love to see that."

"So would I," Sophie told him, grinning as she imagined socking Lord Cassius square in the face with a Sucker Punch. She really needed to thank Dex for coming up with the invention.

"So, if I'm going to fix the Situation that is the Helmet on Top of My Head, we should do it now before my dad catches us," Keefe said, pushing back a stray piece of brittle hair.

"I'm coming with you?" Sophie asked.

"Of course you are," Keefe told her, hooking an arm around hers and dragging her towards the doorway. "We need to get up to my room fast; Shayda Adel is here already, and if she sees me, I'm not going to be able to get away from her for the rest of the night."

Sophie bit the inside of her cheek. "I thought she would hate you after Ro curb stomped her foot."

"Well, then we got matched and suddenly she can't resist me," Keefe said, grinning until he turned to see her face. Sophie could feel the corners of her mouth turning down, and she wasn't sure why the idea of Shayda pursuing Keefe was making her upset.

"Woah, mood change," Keefe told her, pausing to fan the air with his free arm. "What's up?"

Sophie shook her head, feeling her cheeks burn. "It's nothing. We should go."

She pulled him quickly out of the reception hall, making their way to the Vortinator. As Sophie stepped onto the platform, she felt an arm slide around her waist.

"What are you—"

"I just, uh, figured," Keefe said, shifting his feet underneath himself. "I know you get queasy on Vortinators, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I-"

"No, it's fine," Sophie cut in, feeling her cheeks flush again. "Thank you."

Before Keefe could respond, the contraption shot up, up, up in the air, stopping with a thud at Keefe's room.

Sophie surveyed the room, which looked a lot cleaner than usual. Keefe seemed to have observed that she had noticed, because he told her, "My dad made me clean it. Don't know why, because it's not like we're inviting all these girls into my room. Well, except you, but you're different."

Sophie let out a small laugh. "Different good or different bad?"

"Always good, Foster," Keefe told her, smiling sweetly as he strode over to the bathroom, leaving Sophie trailing behind with _very_ flushed cheeks. 

_Had Keefe always had this effect on her?_ She shook her head, not really wanting to answer that question for herself. She followed Keefe into the bathroom, which was much more cluttered; and littered with elixirs.

"Wow, Keefe, I forgot that you've basically bought out half of Slurps and Burps," Sophie told him, running her hand across a row of bottles.

He let out a laugh. "I know. I'm pretty sure I deserve a thank you note from Kesler for keeping his store open. Maybe a gift card."

He ran his hand vigorously through his hair, breaking up what had previously looked like a shiny, blond helmet.

Sophie _really_ didn't want to know how Lord Cassius dealt with that every day.

Keefe grabbed a spray bottle and wet his hair, then washed off all the excess product with a hand towel. Sophie felt a little awkward just standing there watching him do his hair, so she hopped up on the counter next to him.

"Sooo," Sophie said tentatively, kicking her legs under her dress as she leaned back against the mirror, "Seen anyone at the Gala that you might be... interested in?"

"No," Keefe said, fluffing up his hair with some sort of serum. "But I didn't even want to be matched in the first place, so..."

Sophie fidgeted against the marble counter, wondering if her next question could be considered invasive. "Why is that?"

Keefe froze, the corners of his mouth pointing down. "I told you already, but I'm just waiting to see how some things—"

"—shake out," Sophie finished for him. "I know. But you can't expect me not to be a little bit curious."

She elbowed him playfully, but she still felt like she could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

Keefe reached across her lap to grab an elixir next to her, brushing her dress as he leaned forward. As he shook some of it onto his hair, he mumbled, "I know. But it's kind of a sore subject. Can we talk about... literally anything else?"

Shame burned through Sophie's stomach. "Sorry. That was invasive."

He shook his head, sending some of the elixir flying into the air. "It wasn't. But... I don't want to talk about it."

Before she could apologize, he turned to her and said, "Hair's done!"

He presented his hair to her, wearing an adorably proud grin. Thankfully, it looked perfectly normal again, other than a loose curl Sophie noticed was hanging in front of his icy blue eyes.

"What are you looking at, Foster?" Keefe asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Does it look bad, or..."

Sophie's breath caught in her throat when she realized that she was staring. She shook her head vigorously. "No, you look good, I just... there's a curl hanging over your face."

Then, cautiously, carefully, she slipped off the counter and stepped toward him, brushing the strands off his forehead with her thumb. Keefe didn't say anything, just examined her as she trailed her fingers off his cheek, maybe a little bit slower than what was necessary.

"Thanks, Foster," he said, barely raising his voice above a breath.

They stared at each other for a moment, just breathing softly in the silence. Sophie could feel the tips of his shoes touching hers, and her fingertips on the counter brushed dangerously against to his. She may have been an Enhancer, but she was sure that the ability had _nothing_ to do with the way sparks had practically shot out of Keefe's hand where they had touched.

"Your mood shifted," Keefe murmured, his gaze not quite meeting her eyes, but settling a few inches lower. On her lips.

Sophie took a ragged breath in, feeling the butterflies erupting in her chest. _There was no getting out of these feelings this time._

"It did change," Sophie whispered, shivering as she felt his breath on her cheek. He took a deep breath in, sliding his hand over hers on the counter.

Keefe leaned closer (which Sophie wasn't aware was possible), saying in a soft, low voice, "Sophie, I—"

Whatever Keefe was about to say— or do— was interrupted by Ro, who had barged in loudly through the door. 

Sophie jumped away from Keefe, who looked like he was ready to chop off one of Ro's blunt pink pigtails.

Ro whistled, letting out a gleeful laugh. "Whew, didn't mean to interrupt your makeout sesh! Hope you weren't having too much fun."

Sophie opened her mouth to argue that they weren't doing _that_ , but that wasn't necessarily true, was it? Sophie knew that she had a tendency towards the oblivious... and maybe she was imagining things but... it had seemed like they had been about to kiss. Before she could think of a real response, Keefe grimaced, saying, "What do you want, Ro?"

"Dances are starting soon, and Cassius wants an appearance of the lucky boy," Ro told him. 

Keefe's grimace deepened into a scowl. " _Shit._ "

Turning to Sophie, she said, "Sorry Blondie."

As much as she wanted to give Ro a retort as to whatever _that_ had meant, all she could squeak out a confused, "Dances?"

Keefe shook his head. "I always forget you don't know this stuff. If someone wants to dance with you, they sign up with a dance card, and then you get one song together."

"Oh," she said quietly. "You should probably get out there, then."

Keefe began to nod his head to agree, but Ro used one of her calloused hands to stop it in its place. She scoffed, saying, "Seriously, watching you resign to whatever your dumbass dad wants is lame. That wilting look you get around him makes me sad."

Sophie couldn't help but agree.

"And that's why," Ro continued, "I have shown you the _slightest_ amount of kindness and stolen the dance card box. I took out all the names except a couple for show, so you can spend the rest of this magical night with Blondie away from your mob of girls."

Keefe let out a nervous, incredulous laugh. "Seriously? That's way too nice for you. What's the catch? A dare? No more Bo and Ro songs? Because I don't know if I can handle that."

Ro shook her head, swinging her pigtails across her gray cheeks. "No catch. But if you tell anyone that I was _nice to an elf_ , you will be getting to know some of my favorite amoebas. And just so you know, all of my favorites can burn through your weak elf skin."

"No thanks. Anyways, we all know you have a soft spot for me; there's no need for me to tell anyone. " Keefe responded to Ro, who gave him a murderous look. Sophie was tempted to tell Keefe to stop provoking her, because she did not want to meet any of her amoebas, but before she could, he laced his fingers through Sophie's and pulled her towards the door. As they passed the doorway, she swore she could hear Keefe annoyedly mutter to Ro: "Knock before coming in next time, why don't you?"

They hurried down the Vortinator, which quickly launched itself down, leaving Sophie and Keefe stumbling out of it, right at the feet of someone Sophie did _not_ want to see.

"Keefe! KEEFE! Where have you been?" said Lord Cassius. He turned to Sophie, giving her a deep scowl. "Ah, that explains it. Good evening, Miss Foster. A _delight_ to see you here, distracting my son from his duties as a Sencen."

"Something makes me think you're not actually delighted to see me here," Sophie responded sarcastically, trying as hard as she could to burn her angry gaze into his.

"Doesn't matter," Keefe spat. "Because I'm sure you're not delighted to be meeting with him either."

He took a step closer to Cassius. Sophie hadn't noticed how _tall_ Keefe had gotten; he had grown past his father's height over the past year, and it was especially evident when they were standing so close.

"What do you want?" Keefe asked Cassius in a cold, hard tone that made Sophie shiver.

"Dances are starting," Cassius said, just as coldly.

"We're aware."

Lord Cassius gestured towards the door. "Well? They're waiting for you, Keefe."

Sophie peeked in the doorway, then immediately pulled backward when she was how many girls had filled the ballroom since she and Keefe left.

That was a _lot_ of options for Keefe.

Keefe flashed a triumphant grin. "Don't be surprised if not as many girls want a dance with me as you might think, father. And before you say anything, I didn't tamper with the box, so don't even try it."

Lord Cassius opened his mouth to say something, but he seemed to notice the way that both Sophie and Keefe were glaring daggers at him, and the words changed in his mouth. "Whatever that means."

Keefe turned to stalk into the hall, but Cassius grabbed his arm, stopping him from moving any further. "One more thing."

Keefe gave him an exaggerated eye roll. "What now?"

"Your hair looks awful. I thought that for once you'd have the decency to _try_ to look presentable, but clearly—"

"Oookay, that's enough of that," Sophie said, pushing past Lord Cassius to reach Keefe. "Shit fathers don't get a say in hair choices."

For a moment, Lord Cassius did nothing but gape at Sophie's harsh words. She grinned, taking the opportunity to pull Keefe into the ballroom, slamming the large door behind her.

She turned to Keefe, slipping a hand into his. "I'm really sorry, Keefe. He shouldn't have said that."

A smile tugged at Keefe's lips. "He shouldn't have. But watching you call him a shit father makes whatever awful things he says to me worth it."

His thumb brushed tenderly over the top of her hand, and Sophie felt a shiver run down her spine. Keefe's eyes had that same piercing look he had been giving her all night; like he wanted to take in every inch of her.

"He's an awful dad," Sophie mumbled.

Keefe nodded, never losing eye contact with her. "He is. But I should go draw a card before he strangles me. I'll be back as soon as I can."

He dropped her hand and turned away to the crowd, leaving Sophie with blushed cheeks and legs that felt like they were made of jelly.

She made her way over to the wall, watching as the rest of the guests moved to the music.

The "dances" ended up being different than what Sophie had imagined in her head; the crowd resembled a mosh pit more than it did a formal gathering. The orchestra pit in the corner was playing the closest thing she had ever heard to Elvin pop music, and Sophie could barely see the top of Keefe's head through the crowd. As the music blared throughout the hall, Sophie leaned against a wall, watching everyone else dance for what felt like hours.

But maybe that was because Keefe wasn't there with her.

"Foster! There you are!" Sophie turned to see Keefe pushing his lanky arms through the edges of the crowd to reach her. His hair, while still more perfect than any elf she knew, seemed slightly mussed, and she could see him panting a bit out of exhaustion. A trickle of sweat leaked down his forehead.

Sophie smiled weakly at him. "Having a fun time dancing?"

Keefe gave a sheepish smile in return. "Kind of. I like partying, but I missed you. And this one girl — I don't even know her name — kept claiming she had signed up for a dance with me. She was being so pushy. Like I know I'm hot and everyone wants a piece of me, but _damn_!"

Sophie giggled. "Don't flatter yourself. She probably _did_ sign up for a dance and Ro threw her card out."

Keefe gave her an exaggerated sigh. "That hurts, Foster. You're going to bruise my ego if you keep going like that."

"Come on, you know I'm joking," Sophie reassured him, pressing her back against the wall. "And _nothin_ g could bruise your ego."

Keefe flipped himself around so he was leaning against the wall next to her. He brushed his lips against her ear, mumbling, "Hey, if you were joking, then it means you _do_ want a piece of me, then."

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Sophie rolled her eyes, hoping it was enough to cover the way her stomach was flipping. "Do you ever stop talking?"

"Yep." Keefe grabbed both her hands, pulling her off the wall. "When I'm dancing. So we should probably get on that. This is the only Winnowing Gala you'll get to go to, so we might as well make the most of it."

Sophie grinned, shaking her head. "You realize how uncoordinated I am, right? Plus I'm in a gown. And I forgot my comfy shoes at home."

She kicked up her foot to show Keefe the silver heels peeking out of her red dress.

"Come onnnn, Foster," Keefe said, dragging her closer to the crowd. "Don't humans wear long dresses and heels at their parties?"

"I mean... sometimes."

"Exactly! I've seen Dex's human movies," Keefe told her, bobbing his head to the beat of the music. "It'll be just like... what's it called—parm?"

Sophie snorted. " _P_ rom, Keefe. And I never actually went to one of those, I was too young."

"Exactly! This is your chance!" Keefe said, shouting over the loud music. "Dance party time, Foster! Or else I'll have to go back over there and dance with Stina again."

And the thought of Keefe dancing with Stina made her feel sour enough to agree. "Fine. But you owe me. Majorly."

Keefe smiled triumphantly. "Pretty sure I'll always owe you for everything you've done for me, Foster."

And with that, they began to dance, Keefe grabbing onto Sophie's hands as they jumped up and down to the beat, barely able to hear anything other than the music pumping in their ears. Sophie could feel herself grinning ear to ear as Keefe released one arm and spun her around with the other. The tulle of her dress flounced as they moved to the music, and she could feel sweat start to trickle down her back as she danced faster, faster. Keefe grinned at her as they spun on the floor, and Sophie decided that she hadn't been this happy in a long time, and— suddenly the song stopped, switching to something slow and smooth. 

Sophie frowned and stopped dancing. "Dang it. I was actually having fun."

Keefe shook his head. "That's lame. Just because it's a slow song doesn't mean we have to dance slow. Come on Foster, where's your sense of imagination?"

Sophie scanned the ballroom, which was now mellow and quiet. Keefe's matches were now mulling around, grabbing food and drinks from the side tables. 

"Okay, but let's go to that back room we were in earlier. I don't want people staring at the Unmatchable girl who isn't supposed to be here dance like a crazy person," Sophie told him.

"Fine by me. I'd love to get away from all my admirers," Keefe replied, leaning in to whisper in her ear. Sophie tried her best to ignore the fluttering sensation in her stomach as his breath tickled her neck and he whispered, "Don't look at her, but Shayda's been glaring at us since we started dancing."

Sophie glanced over, and sure enough, there was Shayda, looking like she could kill Sophie. She felt Keefe slap her arm. "I said, don't look!"

Sophie giggled, pulling him into the side room and closing the door. The music was muffled, and through the window, she could see some of Keefe's matches dancing to the soft music.

Tearing one hand through his wild blonde hair, Keefe held out the other. "May I have this dance, Lady Foster?"

The gesture was incredibly cheesy, but Sophie felt her cheeks burn all the same. She grabbed Keefe's hand, and once again, they began to dance wildly to the slow music, stomping their feet and swaying their hips. This time, Sophie spun Keefe around, and the way Keefe grinned when he ducked under her arm felt infectious. They continued through that song, and the next, and the next.

Eventually the music began to speed up again, and as they danced they became more and more tired, until they were basically just swaying to the music. Sometime in the chaos, Keefe had wrapped one arm around Sophie's waist, and Sophie's head had taken its place on Keefe's shoulder. Their other hands were interlinked, and Keefe's chest slumped over hers. Sophie felt almost limp, exhausted from their frantic dancing.

"So," Keefe murmured, swaying them to the muffled but still upbeat music blaring from the main hall. "Aren't you glad I forced you to come today?"

Sophie gave him a breathy, tired laugh against the warmth of his shoulder. "Maybe."

Truthfully, she'd actually had the best night she'd had in a long time, but she wasn't going to give Keefe the satisfaction of knowing that.

Keefe laughed, the vibrations of his chest rumbling in Sophie's ear. "Stop trying to lie to an Empath, Foster. Admit it, you had a good time, and I'm the best dance partner you've ever had."

Sophie pulled away to face him, making sure Keefe could see her roll her eyes. "Fiiine. I had a good time. Thanks for inviting me. But you're not the best dance partner I've ever had. _That_ title goes to Valin."

Keefe laughed again, louder this time, and Sophie felt a smile tug at her cheeks as she watched the corners of his eyes crinkle up in joy. "That time you were _definitely_ lying. I was there through that entire detention, and you hated dancing with Valin."

"For the record, he was practically drooling over me," Sophie informed him.

"Shocker," Keefe said sarcastically, blue eyes sparkling.

Sophie furrowed an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Keefe shook his head. "Don't act like you don't know. Who wouldn't drool over you?"

Sophie felt a round of butterflies erupt in her chest. "You, for one."

Keefe quirked an eyebrow. "Who says I don't?"

The butterflies seemed to fly through her chest even more furiously, and Sophie was surprised that Keefe didn't think to tease her about the change in mood. She shook her head. "You joke too much."

"I'm not always joking, Foster," Keefe murmured in that low, sweet voice that Sophie was becoming more and more familiar with. He took a cautious step towards her, tangling one of his hands in hers again.

_Great, now he could feel her emotions even more strongly._

"You may not see it, but you're seriously beautiful, Foster. I mean it," Keefe told her quietly, his eyes piercing into hers. 

"Thanks." Sophie looked up at his gaze again, trying to ignore the sound of their ragged breaths, and the thrumming music in the background. 

She was close enough that she could smell the faintest bit of peppermint on his breath, and their knees were almost touching. His pink lips were parted, dark eyebrows were furrowed, and in that moment, Sophie was reminded of just how _handsome_ Keefe was. Angelic, even. If there had been any doubt in Sophie's mind that there was _something_ between them at that point, it was all but expelled. And suddenly Sophie could recognize that same curious, reckless feeling that she had felt right before she'd kissed Dex. But this time, it was so. Much. Stronger.

She sucked in a breath through her teeth. 

"Keefe?" 

"Yeah, Sophie?" Keefe whispered, his breath still weighing heavily on her cheek. His eyes flitted to her lips again, and Sophie had to remind herself to keep breathing.

"I—wait," she said, moving to brush that same curl from earlier out of where it was tangled into Keefe's dark eyelashes. As she tucked it into his blond hair, she found herself trailing her hand across his cheek, then his jaw, and...

_Fuck it_. She grabbed his face with one hand, pulling him in and kissing him.

And... _wow._ Kissing Keefe was entirely different from kissing Dex. It was blissful, and Sophie wasn't sure why she hadn't allowed the thought to cross through her mind before that day, because... wow. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to think properly again.

His mouth moved softly, gently against hers as he snaked his arms against the small of her back, pulling her into his chest. The hand against his cheek made its way to tangle itself Keefe's hair, and Sophie pressed her other arm against the back of his neck, pulling his face closer to hers. She felt Keefe sigh against her lips, tilting his head to kiss her harder. His fingertips brushed against the edges of the large cutout on the back of Sophie's dress, and he brought another hand to her upper back, his thumb rubbing softly across her bare skin. He touched her gently, almost like he was afraid of hurting her.

Sophie tilted her head up, wanting more out of each kiss she gave him. Doing this with him... it was so easy. She had the feeling that she could keep doing this forever; it was just that good. 

Keefe brought a hand to her face, pulling her in deeper and deeper, and suddenly the kisses weren't gentle and lazy, but intense and fervent. They leaned into each other, and the connection of Keefe's body weight against hers was enough for her to lose her balance, stumbling back towards the wall, breaking the kiss.

Keefe took a step towards her, his hand unconsciously brushing against his own swollen lips. 

"So," Keefe said softly, the corners of his mouth tugging up into a soft, slightly delirious smile.

"So," Sophie echoed, in awe of the fact that for once she had made Keefe speechless. "Was this... what you were waiting for to shake out?"

"You could say that. Although I wasn't expecting it to happen this soon," Keefe told her, that genuine smile still gracing his lips.

Sophie let out a soft laugh. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Keefe shifted underneath himself. "Okay, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you can be kind of oblivious about how other people feel about you. I mean, I've liked you for a _long_ time, and it's taken you up to now to figure it out."

Sophie frowned. "How long have you liked me?"

Keefe's gaze dropped to the marble floor, and he gave her a sheepish smile before saying, "Since we met."

Sophie's jaw dropped. " _Five years_? And you didn't think to tell me?"

"To be fair, you didn't really want to know," Keefe told her, putting his hands out in defense.

Sophie's lips pursed. "Still. I'm glad I know now."

Keefe took a step towards her, inching her up against the wall. "I know that. I could feel you. Your emotions. Just now."

Sophie's face flamed hotter than she thought it could.

"Oh," she managed to stammer out. Keefe lightly gripped her cheek in his right hand, brushing his thumb softly under her brown eye.

She wasn't sure who initiated it this time, but suddenly they were kissing again, Keefe's hand against the wall behind them and the other wrapped around Sophie's waist.

She was reminded of another time she had been in this position with him, pinned up against the wall, before they had fought the Neverseen in Atlantis; _how had she not seen what was between them sooner?_

Keefe's mouth left hers, but he filled the absence by trailing soft kisses across her jawline over to the soft spot beneath her ear. Sophie hummed in satisfaction, tangling her hand in Keefe's hair in response.

_Knock, knock._

Keefe's lips tore away from her neck, and he quickly turned himself around so he was leaning against the wall just as Sophie was, the both of them panting in the silence.

"Come in, Ro," Keefe called, his voice slightly gravelly. 

The door opened, and Ro peaked her head through. "Interrupting anything?"

Sophie and Keefe shared a guilty glance.

"Nope," Sophie said, popping the p and hoping she didn't sound too suspicious. Her heel clacked rapidly, nervously against the floor.

"Huh," Ro said, eyes flitting back and forth between them. She settled her gaze on Keefe, raising an eyebrow. "Your hair is messed up."

"It is." Keefe nodded sagely, and Sophie didn't miss the quick smirk he stole at her. 

"Not going to elaborate on that one, Hunkyhair?" Ro asked, lips peeling into a mischievous smile.

"No, I'm not," Keefe told her, flashing her a rivaling grin.

"What about you, Blondie? Anything to tell Auntie Ro?"

Sophie shook her head, maybe a little too quickly. "I'm all good."

"I don't believe you, but alright," Ro said suggestively, giving her an amused look that made Sophie feel very... caught. "Cassius wanted me to tell you that the party's over. He wants Sophie to get out, or he said, and I quote, 'He will utilize his traitor wife's numerous booby traps.' So I'd leave if I were you. Wouldn't want to face the wrath of the World's Worst Father. I'll leave you to say your... goodbyes."

And with that, the door closed with a thud. Sophie glanced out one of the small windows in the dark room, and soon enough, all of Keefe's matches were flowing out of the room.

"You wasted your Winnowing Gala," Sophie whispered, not making eye contact with Keefe.

He raised a confused eyebrow. "I did?"

"Yeah," Sophie said quietly. "You could have been out choosing someone you could actually be with, and instead you're here with me."

Keefe laughed, and Sophie was reminded of how glorious that sound was. "See Foster, I was under the impression that I made it _very_ clear just now about who I wanted to be with."

A shiver ran down Sophie spine as he turned his head to press a tantalizingly slow kiss to her lips. He pulled back far enough for her to look at him, and _wow, his eyes were beautiful._

"You really think so?" he murmured, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"Huh?"

He chuckled softly. "You said that out loud, Foster."

Sophie felt her cheeks burn, but her joy at seeing the way Keefe was grinning giddily at her engulfed any embarrassment she might have had. "Well, your eyes are. Beautiful, that is."

"Thanks," Keefe said lightly. He weaved a hand with hers, squeezing it lightly. "You should go before my dad comes here and kicks you out himself. But... I'll hail you tonight?"

"Really?" Sophie found herself asking him. She was still a little bit in awe that this was actually... happening. It seemed so surreal. But she liked it.

Keefe ran a free hand through his fluffy blonde hair, which Sophie really had messed up like Ro noted earlier. His voice held nothing but absolute sincerity when he said: "Of course. Thanks for coming tonight, Foster."

Sophie's heart kicked into hummingbird mode as she leaned in, pressing a soft, nervous kiss to his cheek. "Thanks for inviting me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
